Phoenix
was founded in 1860 in the Salt River Valley and, as it grew, absorbed
one town after another. It is now a huge, sprawling city that looks a
lot like Los Angeles. There are now three million people in the Phoenix
area. Phoenix gets very hot in Summer, with temperatures regularly
above 110 degrees F. This is very hot for your dog who can get
overheated much quicker than a person can. So temperature must be
considered when planning a dog-friendly trip to Phoenix or for the
local residents. Winter is Phoenix is excellent, with termperatures
that both people and dogs can love. It's a great time to visit.

There are many centers for visitors to Phoenix to consider. Phoenix has
a downtown, Scottsdale is an excellent base for tourists with dogs as
well. Tempe has a nice shopping and dining district and there are open
air shopping centers throughout town that welcome dogs. There are a lot
of choices in dog-friendly
hotels in the area. One of the
most dog-friendly is the Scottsdale
Hotel Indigo in Old Town Scottsdale. For dogs up to 50 pounds, the
Arizona Biltmore is a top of the line choice. The Sheraton Phoenix
Downtown welcomes large dogs and provides a pet package for guests with
four legged friends. The Pointe Hilton's at Squaw Peak and at Tapatio
Cliffs both welcome guests with dogs as well. In suburban Mesa dogs are
allowed on request at the Arizona Golf Resort, a premier golfing
destination. Phoenix and the surrounding areas also have pet-friendly
La Quintas, Motel 6 and hotels from almost all chains of hotels located
throughout town so that you can find one near where you want
to
be. If you are planning on staying Phoenix with your dog for a while
there are also a host of extended stay suite hotels such as Residence
Inn, Homewood Suites and Extended Stay America to allow you more room
for you and your pet.

If you are planning to visit Phoenix with an RV then you have a number
of choices for campgrounds
in the area. Desert Sands RV Park, Covered Wagon RV Park and Pioneer RV
Park are located in Phoenix. Mesa offers the Mesa Sprit and Silveridge
RV Resort. Tonto National Forest has dog-friendly tent and dry camping.

The Phoenix
area has a number of dog-friendly attractions.
Remember to consider
the heat when taking your dog out in the Phoenix area. Take your dog to
the old west at Goldfield Ghost Town. This 1890s ghost town has a
narrow gauge railroad, a mine tour and more. Pioneer Living History
Village is also dog-friendly. This living history museum offers over 90
acres of an 1800s village. There are pretend "Shootouts" at both of
these places so be prepared for them if your dog is spooked by gunfire.
You can rent boats at Bartlett Lake for you and your dog. For dog-friendly
shopping the upscale Biltmore
Fashion Park at 2502 E. Camelback Rd
has long been the pet-friendly shopping destination in the valley.
Leashed dog may also visit Santan Village Shopping Center in Gilbert.
There are others as well, including downtown Tempe, Old Town Scottsdale
and others. There are also a number of dog-friendly
outdoor markets and farmers' markets
in Phoenix and surrounding
areas. There are a lot of
dog-friendly restaurants in both Phoenix
and the surrounding
areas.

There are a number
of hiking areas for you and your
dog in Phoenix. The most
interesting is probably Piestewa Peak (formally known as Squaw Peak)
which is 2,608 feet at the summit. Dogs are not allowed on the summit
trail, but dogs and horses are welcome on most of the other trails in
the park. If you go up the Freedom Trail, a 3.75 mile trail, you can
reach near the summit with your dog. There are also many easy trails on
the mountain. There are also hiking trails at South Mountain Park, the
North Mountain Area and Reach 11 Rec Area. As always in the Phoenix
area, hikers with dogs need to pay attention to the heat and watch for
rattlesnakes. There are many off-leash
dog parks in Phoenix and the
suburbs including PetsMart Dog Park.
PetsMart is headquartered here in Phoenix.

Before you visit an establishment or place, please
contact them and verify that they are still dog-friendly and available, as policies
and management change frequently. All places listed on DogFriendly.com require
your dog to be leashed and under your direct control unless specified otherwise
by an establishments (including parks and beaches) management. Please be aware
of local Breed-Specific
Laws that may be in place where you are visiting. The information
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